About Maria
Maria Russo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Colorado with 25 years of experience. She combines a social work education with long personal study to help people move past trauma, addiction, and low self-worth. Maria speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps people can use every day.
She helps people who feel stuck by looking at what keeps them reacting the same way. Sessions often involve identifying strengths and building coping skills for anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions.
How Maria works
Maria pays attention to how past wounds show up now and how those patterns can change. Her approach centers on the client. Conversations aim to uncover personal meaning and practical shifts rather than labels.
Maria uses tools from cognitive work to challenge unhelpful thoughts and from narrative work to reframe life stories for healthier choices. She also uses motivational methods to support readiness for change, especially around addictions and behavior shifts. Treatment plans are tailored to what each person wants to achieve, with steps that are realistic and concrete.
Maria emphasizes gradual growth. She guides people toward stronger relationships with themselves and others, clearer decision making, and more consistent emotional regulation. Her goal is to help people move from surviving to living with more joy, authenticity, and purpose.
Maria lists 6 ways of working on the entry:
What Maria works with
The areas below are the ones Maria selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Training and background
| Registers | LCSW, CSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 25 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Colorado |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Maria's Approaches Work Online
Maria uses Client-Centered Therapy to follow the person's pace and priorities, offering a respectful space to speak and be heard. This approach helps when someone needs acceptance and a partner in sorting out feelings and choices.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is practical for anxiety, depression, and coping skills because it breaks problems into small, manageable steps and teaches concrete tools.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods, and adjust based on what helps the client make real changes. This is a collaborative process where preferences and life demands shape the plan.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video sessions are useful for more in-depth work when visual cues matter. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone needs a shorter check-in. Live chat and text messaging work well for brief updates, homework check-ins, or when typing feels more comfortable. These options aim to make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into daily life.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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